It was a little thing, really. Sophie missed Brownies last Friday, and the troop leader had each kid take a scrap of paper and write what she likes about Sophie. I don’t believe the girls were supposed to sign their names. The whole lot arrived at our house today, sealed in a white envelope decorated […]

Today Annabelle asked me, “What is your favorite smell?” I gave the standard-issue mom reply: “The smell of you and Sophie.” Then I asked her. “Books,” she said. “I love the smell of books.” This also led to a discussion about the fact that, in her mind, fourth grade has a smell (it smells like […]

It was one of those what-have-you-done-with-my-sister moments. “I’ve started calling this weekend ‘Jennypalooza,’” I told Jenny, as the umpteenth preparations were made and remade and finessed a little more, in honor of her Birthday Weekend. “Good!” she replied. GOOD?! Jenny, the little sister who shirks from attention? Who was too embarrassed to take the flowers […]

Yesterday a piece I did about Sophie and her BFF (aka “B”) Sarah aired on our local NPR station. I had meant it for Valentine’s Day, but Arizona statehood day happens to fall on February 14, so the BFFs were bumped for a few days. Here they are.

I knew Sophie would not be disappointed to learn she needed glasses. But I was a little surprised when Annabelle asked, plaintively, “Can I have some glasses, too?” She’s not having trouble seeing. She’s just a slave to her own particular brand of fashion — inspired in part, she acknowledged, by Harriet the Spy. Turns […]

Yeah, old chum, I know. The line is really “life is a cabaret.” Not in this house. In this house it’s a carousel. An “Olivia the Pig” carousel, to be exact. And all that spinning made me a little nauseous this weekend. Valentines for 2 dozen kids (times 2) plus 2 science fair projects = […]

I’m a big believer in paper valentines — the kind that show up in your real mailbox, not your e-mail one – but since I don’t have your street address, I’ll have to send yours here. This is our family creation, circa 2011. Annabelle drew it, I stitched it, Sophie (and the Beatles) came up with […]

I got the best valentine from my mom: a photo album from her wedding. I’ve seen all the pictures — memorized them — and the book is falling apart, but still, it’s an awesome gift. It was a copy someone made post-wedding for my dad’s parents with a few images, and when my mom presented […]

Mustaches are everywhere these days (the new owl!) so why not on Annabelle’s valentines? We had a lot of fun making these. Here are the directions. It was a good day. Sophie wrote all of her valentines (Olivia the Pig, of course) in one sitting.without complaint. A small miracle. Now, to be honest, you couldn’t […]